Alpaca-Themed Cafe in Lima: Dulce Alpaca
I didn’t know that K-pop was quite big in Peru until I visited Lima. The locals don’t just like Korean dramas and music; they also love the food. One popular Korean-themed dining spot in Lima is Dulce Alpaca. This Korean-Peruvian cafe also features an alpaca theme. So you can imagine how cutesy-wootsy the cafe is!
Dulce Alpaca is a Korean-Peruvian cafe based in Lima and Arequipa. Despite its small menu, Dulce Alpaca offers customers delectables like alpaca-shaped waffles, bingsu, and sweet beverages to sweeten up their day. The cafe has light pink decorations and a soothing atmosphere.
Special thanks to my friend Yasmin for introducing me to Dulce Alpaca. After a few visits, I became a regular. Eventually, I collected enough loyalty stamps to get myself a free alpaca-shaped waffle. Stick around to read my experience at Dulce Alpaca during my 2025 and 2026 Lima visits.
A Very Cute and Girly-Looking Cafe
That’s right. I said it. It looks girly. The cafe is very pink, with cute decorations. I loved it. It’s especially perfect for folks who like anything Korean. The cafe features the Korean flag, Korean music, Korean food and desserts, and even BTS-themed promotions. The Miraflores outlet even had a BTS standee. Wow. A cute K-pop idol at the front door – how welcoming.
The Miraflores outlet has board games customers can use. I have never played with any of the board games. But I appreciated the idea of having those games readily available at the cafe.
Anyhow, the first Dulce Alpaca I entered was the Jirón de la Unión outlet. As soon as I entered the cafe, I saw a big alpaca doll with a Christmas hat and sunglasses. A pretty pink Christmas tree was right next to it.
I came in December 2025, which explained the Christmas atmosphere. I was indeed amazed by the cafe’s decoration.
Whenever I walked into the store, I felt happy. I guess it’s because I like pink. Pink makes me think of pretty, happy things. Dulce Alpaca is quite a popular spot for couples. It does have that lovey-dovey vibe. I’ve been to Dulce Alpaca with my male and female friends, and they all liked the place.
The Jirón de la Unión outlet has an upper floor. Customers can sit at small tables on the floor, with pink cushions. Regular tables with chairs are also available. For floor seating, no shoes are allowed. So, you’ll have to remove them.
Food and Beverages That Are So Inviting
Dulce Alpaca may not have an extensive menu, but it does have interesting stuff. Their alpaca-shaped waffles are a favourite amongst customers. I have always ordered the Nutella ones.
I’m a simple person. Well, most times. I often order the same things and never get tired of them. I would order Dulce Alpaca’s Nutella alpaca-shaped waffles, spicy Buldak noodles with cheese, and Chocolate Andean Latte with tapioca. I rarely ordered anything else.
Dulce Alpaca’s Korean fried chicken is also quite popular amongst the customers. Customers can order up to 3 pieces of chicken. Each plate comes with fries. One piece of chicken with fries sells for 18 soles. My friends would usually order the one-piece chicken set. It was satisfyingly filling.
But I noticed the fried chicken served at the Miraflores outlet tasted a little different from the one at Jirón de la Unión. Although the fried chicken at the Miraflores outlet was tasty, it was too sweet for my liking.
I have also tried Dulce Alpaca’s Ramyun Clasico. It was lovely, but I preferred the Buldak. For desserts, bingsus are a popular choice.
I have tried Dulce Alpaca’s mango bingsu. I also tried one with blueberry toppings.
The bingsus weren’t the best, in my opinion. But they were always a pleasure, regardless.
So, which dish was my favourite? I think the Nutella alpaca-shaped waffle was my favourite, followed by the Buldak. I loved having Buldak at Dulce Alpaca. Once, I tried preparing Buldak at home. But it didn’t turn out as good as Dulce Alpaca’s. I would go to Dulce Alpaca whenever I craved spicy Buldak (with cheese).
Loyalty Card That Rewards Regulars
I have only visited the outlets in Miraflores and Jirón de la Unión. I wanted to visit the La Molina outlet, but it was closed due to the Peruvian election. I ended up going to the Miraflores outlet that same day. I suggest contacting the property before your visit, especially during special times of the year.
As mentioned earlier, I became a regular at Dulce Alpaca. As a loyal customer, I had a loyalty card. There was no charge for it. I had it stamped every time I bought a bubble tea.
You can stamp your card more than once for a different order. For example, I had my card stamped again on the same day when a friend who arrived later made a separate order. The card can also be stamped for every bingsu purchase.
Before I had my own card, I would have my friend’s card stamped instead. When my friend Yasmin finally achieved all ten stamps, the store gave her a free bingsu. Customers with all ten stamps can claim a free bingsu or an alpaca-shaped waffle. When it was finally my turn to claim my reward, I chose the alpaca-shaped waffle.
Fun fact: You can stamp your loyalty card on a different day if you don’t have your card with you. Keep your receipt (digital payment history is fine) so that the staff know the date of your visit.
I like collecting all kinds of cards, including transportation cards and loyalty cards. I had to keep the Dulce Alpaca loyalty card – all stamped. Fortunately, the staff at Dulce Alpaca let me keep my old card. Then they gave me a new card. I suppose they don’t take your card once it’s fully stamped and replaced. Keep it as a souvenir if you may.
So, Which Outlet Did I Prefer?
I have only been to the Miraflores and Jirón de la Unión outlets. Both were satisfactory. But I preferred the Korean fried chicken served at the Jirón de la Unión outlet. In terms of customer service, both outlets were good. The staff were attentive and helpful.
But the Miraflores outlet usually had quicker service, at least from my experience. I usually didn’t wait long for my orders to arrive. That’s probably because I would usually visit in the afternoon or in the early evenings. I usually visited the Jirón de la Unión outlet in the late evening.
All things considered, I liked the Jirón de la Unión outlet the most. I liked the floor seating because it made me feel like I was back in Asia. I also liked sitting on the upper floor. The lighting there is dimmed, giving the room a more relaxing atmosphere. I felt like I could spend hours hanging out with friends there. It had a homely vibe.
If there’s something any of the outlets can improve, it’s the consistency of the alpaca-shaped waffles. There were times when the waffles were too brown. I liked my waffles golden. They tasted better.
Keep in mind that these are my opinions, based on my personal preferences. Nonetheless, I would go to either branch depending on where I was. Sometimes my friends and I met in Miraflores, and sometimes in Lima’s Historic Centre.
I noticed that the Jirón de la Unión outlet was always full of people. And I noticed that most people always preferred the floor seating.
The Miraflores outlet was a more convenient option for me, though, since I usually stayed in places like Barranco, Miraflores, and Surquillo. The traffic jam at Lima’s centre can get wild, so my friends and I would sometimes meet at the Miraflores outlet instead.
Final Thoughts
Dulce Alpaca is my favourite cafe in Lima. I highly recommend it, especially to couples and anyone who is into anything Korean. It has a few outlets in Lima and three outlets in Arequipa. I haven’t been to the Arequipa outlets. Maybe next time. I really enjoyed my time at the Miraflores and Jirón de la Unión outlets.
Both outlets have a relaxing atmosphere. The cafes are generally peaceful, making communication easy. Keep in mind that the Jirón de la Unión outlet can easily get crowded, especially in the evening and on weekends.